The present invention generally relates to a patient positioning platform. In particular, the present invention relates to a patient positioning platform with particular use in vascular applications.
Patient positioner platforms allow a medical practitioner, such as a doctor, nurse or technician, to position a patient during a medical procedure, such as XR, CT, EBT, nuclear, and PET procedures. Patient positioner platforms, such as tables or other supports, allow a patient to be elevated, moved in lateral & longitudinal directions, rotated and/or tilted during a procedure. Patient positioning platforms improve a medical practitioner's ability to examine and/or perform a medical procedure on a patient.
There is a need for an improved patient positioning platform that may be used in angiography, neurology, and cardiac procedures. Current patient positioner platforms may introduce limitations in obtaining images of blood flow in arteries, heart, lungs, or brain, for example. Thus, a patient positioning system that improves stability and reliable positioning for blood flow imaging in angiography, neurology, cardiac and other such procedures would be highly desirable.
Additionally, there is a need for an improved patient positioning platform that may be used for emerging vascular procedures, such as emergent situations, venous access, and CO2 studies. Emergent situations include emergency, life-threatening or serious situations, such as falling artery pressure or a blood vessel rupture, that prompt immediate medical attention. Proper and easy positioning of a patient may help a medical practitioner provide treatment to correct the emergent situation. Venous access relates to insertion of a catheter into a patient for introduction or retrieval of fluids in a patient's veins. Proper and easy positioning of a patient may aid insertion of the catheter as well as introduction or extraction of materials through the catheter. CO2 studies involve injecting carbon dioxide as a contrast agent in patient veins. While CO2 is excreted on the first pass of the blood through the lungs, it is desirable to limit the possibility of contamination or toxicity in certain areas of the body, such as the brain. Proper and reliable positioning of a patient may help reduce the chance of CO2 contamination during CO2 studies of the patient.
Currently, patient positioner platforms possess limitations in properly positioning a patient for vascular applications, such as emergent situations, venous access, and CO2 studies. Additionally, many current patient positioner platforms lack flexibility to accommodate emergent situations, venous access, and CO2 studies of a patient. Therefore, a patient positioning system that provides reliable and easy positioning of a patient with flexibility to accommodate a variety of vascular applications, such as emergent situations, venous access, and CO2 studies, would be highly desirable.
Thus, a need exists for a patient positioning system that provides a reliable, flexible and complete solution for vascular and other medical applications.